Friday, January 30, 2015

We're wrapping up the week with the spotlight shining on the Christian devotional, 40 Days of Grace by Kim Y. Jackson. Kim is doing a virtual book tour with Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tours and will be giving away on copy of her book. To enter for a chance to win, use the form below.

Paperback: 140 pages

Publisher: God's Glory (December 18, 2014)

ISBN-10: 0974374938

ISBN-13: 978-0974374932

About the book: Forty Days of Grace is a prayer devotional full of wisdom orchestrated by God to manifest His purpose through a chosen nation. As you read Forty Days of Grace, God will daily impart into you revelation and knowledge for strength and encouragement. On each page God depicts His grace given for you to complete the work He has chosen for you to do. Everyone who takes the journey through Forty Days of Grace can anticipate receiving God’s triumphant Victory. As you travel within the pages of Forty Days of Grace - A Prayer Devotional, the power of God is unveiled for you to know that His Grace is Sufficient and for you to daily experience His Abundant Grace.Bio: Elder Kim Y. Jackson, M. Divinity is a licensed Elder at Greater Bethlehem Church (Bishop Jason Nelson). An anointed writer, conference speaker, teacher, oracle and psalmist for the Lord, Elder Jackson is called to write the plans of God for His people.Her self-published non-fiction Christian books include In the Garden: A Woman's Journey Orchestrated by God for Deliverance and Spiritual Maturity, and Forty Days of Grace: A Prayer Devotional and True Worship: Understanding the Command of God for a Chosen People.She has also contributed to the anthologies This Far By Faith, Have a Little Faith, and Keeping the Faith. Her written works have also been featured in numerous print and online publications.Elder Kim Jackson is also the founder of the Women Writers of God’s Word Author’s Tour.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit Elder Jackson imparts revelation knowledge to empower believers of Christ. As an oracle and scribe for the Lord, God has released her to effectively minister in the areas of healing and deliverance. Elder Jackson ministers at several recovery houses, transitional homes and support groups.
Elder Jackson has fully accepted her calling to preach, write for the Lord, teach God's word and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She stands on God's word and encourages other believers to "Write the Vision" (Habakkuk 2:2) that God has given to them.Social links: Website | FacebookPurchase the book: Amazon

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author Kim Y. Jackson and is hosted and managed by Paulette from Write Now Literary Book Tours. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Paulette @ pharperjohnson@gmail.com

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Today I'm featuring the non-fiction Christian book Hanging On by the Scratch Marks My Nails Left Behind: Raw Faith
by Elizabeth Chalker.

Paperback: 470 pages

Format: Paperback/Kindle

ISBN-10: 1612151205 ISBN-13: 978-1612151205

Bio: Elizabeth Chalker is still in the furnace of life’s' calamities and fighting the good fight of faith and endurance, keeping her eyes on the prize of heaven. Before serious, physical illness devastated her body, Elizabeth was on the fast track as a successful psychologist and addictions specialist, working with violent juvenile offenders and their families, near completion of her third graduate degree. Her life is a testimony of faith that is steadfast and remains no matter the seemingly dark, unjust, and treacherous circumstances of life. She resides in Lighthouse Point, Florida. Elizabeth continues to minister to those in need and aspires to show God's glory through every breath she takes. "This is a real life story of being in the fire, where I currently remain, where my heart for the Lord has become increasingly insatiable. A deepened intimacy has developed and continues to grow even through this very moment, and will continue beyond. As you read, this is my hope and prayer for you as well."About the book:

Hanging On by the Scratch Marks My Nails Left Behind: Raw Faith was written while still in the midst of trials with no promise for the suffering to end. It took 10 years to write while suffering serious, physical illness. My prayer for the book is to inspire individuals to self-examine and find their core; to realize that we are all children of God and therefore, one in Him. We tend to see life and our circumstances as if from under a quilt as it is being made, where all that is seen is a bunch of haphazard threads from our view. God’s view is from above where everything comes together and forms a beautiful and complete picture. My hope is also to encourage individuals to seek love and extend love.
One of the most important messages of the book is to strengthen anyone who reads it, to cause him or her to embrace all of who he or she is, the parts we deem ‘dark’ and unacceptable as well as the parts we see as praiseworthy and pleasant.
Most importantly, my hope is that the reader will embrace intimacy in relationship with God and realize that raw expression of heart, no matter how unacceptable to the world, is honorable in the eyes of God and welcomed.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Welcome to today's special feature. It's a book excerpt for the Christian novel The Fall of the Prodigal by Michelle Lindo-Rice.
Enjoy!

During this special promotion, Michelle will be giving away 2 $10 Amazon gift cards to two lucky winners chosen via rafflecopter. Use the form below to enter for a chance to win.

Bio: Michelle Lindo-Rice enjoys crafting women's fiction with themes centered around the four "F" words: Faith, Friendship, Family and Forgiveness. Her first published work, Sing A New Song, was a Black Expressions featured selection. Originally from Jamaica West Indies, Michelle Lindo-Rice calls herself a lifelong learner.
She has earned degrees from New York University, SUNY at Stony Brook, and Teachers College, Columbia University. When she moved to Florida, she enrolled in Argosy University where she completed her Education Specialist degree in Education Leadership. A pastor's kid, Michelle upholds the faith, preaching, teaching and ministering through praise and worship. Feel free to connect with her at michellelindorice.com
You can read her testimony, learn about her books, PLEASE join her mailing list, or read a sample chapter at michellelindorice.com

About The Fall of the Prodigal:A condemned man, his two brides, and one untimely death.
Michael Ward is at the top of his game and he doesn't need anyone or anything. Money is his new best friend--until he's arrested for a heinous crime. As much as he hates to admit it, Michael needs his brother, Keith Ward, the man who stole his wife and children. Will Michael open his heart to forgive his brother?
Verona "Tiger" Stachs has been Michaels' attorney for years. She's in love with him, but is tired of being treated as his guinea pig. A lapsed Christian, Verona finds herself being drawn closer to God. She thought she was through with God, but soon discovers He's nowhere through with her. Which relationship will she choose?
Keith Ward's a prominent minister and family man, yet he yearns to rekindle his relationship with his brother. When Michael calls him explaining that he desperately needs his help, Keith jumps at the chance to set things right with Michael. Will Keith be able to lead Michael into the light?

Friday, January 23, 2015

Today’s
spotlight shines on children’s author Fiona Ingram and the second book in her Chronicle of the Stone series, The Search
for the Stone of Excalibur. Fiona is doing a virtual book tour and this is one stop along the way with Women on Writing's The Muffin.

Bio:

Fiona Ingram was born and educated in South Africa,
and has worked as a full-time journalist and editor. Her interest in ancient
history, mystery, and legends, and her enjoyment of travel resulted in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, the
first in her exciting children’s adventure series—TheChronicles of the Stone.
This was inspired by a family trip the author took with her mom and two young
nephews aged ten and twelve at the time. The book began as a short story for
her nephews and grew from there. The
Search for the Stone of Excalibur is a treat for young King Arthur fans.
Fiona is busy with Book 3 entitled The
Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper, set in Mexico.

While writing The
Secret of the Sacred Scarab, Fiona fostered (and later adopted) a young
African child from a disadvantaged background. Her daughter became the
inspiration for the little heroine, Kim, in The
Search for the Stone of Excalibur. Interestingly, the fictional character’s
background and social problems are reflected in the book as Kim learns to deal
with life. Fiona’s experiences in teaching her daughter to read and to enjoy
books also inspired many of her articles on child literacy and getting kids to
love reading.

Welcome, Fiona. Please tell us about
your current release.

In Book One: The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, when
cousins Justin and Adam Sinclair visit Egypt with their aunt and grandmother on
the trip of a lifetime, they have no idea what is in store for them. Having escaped the
clutches of the evil Dr. Khalid in Egypt and rescued the first Stone of Power,
Justin and Adam are keen to embark upon the next adventure. The Search for the Stone of Excalibur grew from Book One. This quest takes them to
Britain, and unravels the mystery behind King Arthur—half myth, half legend—and
his fantastical sword Excalibur. What gave Excalibur its incredible powers, so
great that even historians have recorded its singular abilities? Could it be
that a Stone of Power is embedded in the hilt? Right from the start, this
adventure is not like the first. For one, Aunt Isabel has sent a girl, Kim,
along with the cousins. Will this mess up the boys’ plans? And how annoying
that Kim has such good ideas when the boys are stumped…

What inspired you to write this book?

I am a huge King Arthur fan and having travelled
all over Scotland, visiting castles, I decided that Britain would be the
location of the boys’ quest for the second Stone of Power. The legends and
stories about King Arthur and Excalibur are the perfect vehicle for this book.
There is so much magic and mystery surrounding this historical figure that I
had enough material to craft a fascinating adventure. If you love history,
geography, action, adventure, archaeology and a story that grips you from page
one (plus lots of danger!) then this is the book for you. This will also appeal
to any young explorers who want to save the world or (for those readers a
little older) remember their plans to do so!

Excerpt:

Adam was
so close that he could have reached out and touched the rider. The spectral
figure drew his sword from its scabbard and held it aloft. It seemed to Adam
that he saw every detail with strangely magnified clarity. It was the same
sword from the museum, but it looked so different now. The metal gleamed with a
peculiar bluish sheen. Curious characters embossed the length of the blade. At
the top, just under the crossguard, was a small circle with a seven-pointed
star inside it. Sparkling gems decorated the hilt and pommel, with two dragons’
heads facing inward on the crossguard. The stone between the dragons’ open
mouths glowed brilliant red. Suddenly, a fiery, almost blinding light shot from
the stone, dazzling him. The white horse reared on its hindquarters. The
radiant beam lit up the forest as the warrior whirled the blade around his head
several times. Adam fell to his knees, shaking with a mixture of terror and
excitement as he realized the second Stone of Power was embedded in the sword
of Arthur. But the stone in the museum sword was nothing like this one.

What exciting story are you working on
next?

My next project
(almost completed) is Book 3 in the series: The
Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. It’s chock full of excitement, an exotic
environment, lots of danger and definitely an adventure any kid would enjoy! Continuing
the adventure that ended in Britain just a short while ago, cousins Adam and
Justin Sinclair, with their friend Kim Maleka, are now hunting for the third
Stone of Power, one of seven mysterious stones lost centuries ago. The third
stone might be located in an ancient city, hidden in the depths of the Mexican
jungle. Of course, their old adversary Dr. Khalid is close behind as the trio
travels through the jungle in search of the lost city of stone gods. This time
Adam will clash with a terrible enemy who adopts the persona of an evil Aztec
god, Tezcatlipoca. Will they emerge alive from the jungle? Will Dr. Khalid find
the third Stone of Power before they do?

When did you first consider yourself a
writer?

I started
off as a story teller aged ten, entertaining my younger brothers and their
friends with tales of brave kids embarking upon adventures, usually populated
with monsters, vampires and other interesting creatures. Then I graduated to
writing plays which my (4) brothers and I would act out for my long-suffering
and patient parents. Then I wrote comical poetry for the family, and finally
after being an actress and drama coach for a while (after university and
overseas training), I drifted into writing and publishing, somewhere I am
happiest!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's
your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find
time to write?

Yes, I
write full time and in a variety of genres. I write middle-grade adventure and
animal rescue books under my own name. I also write historical romance under a
pseudonym (Arabella Sheraton). Added to that is teaching novel writing for an
online writing college—it’s very fulfilling to watch new writers grow. I also
edit for a big US book review site. I write every day and give myself a day off
occasionally to recharge the batteries. Because I do lots of different things I
tend to work on one thing for a couple of hours, and then give myself a break
and work on something else. I start early in the morning and have a charming
little office at the bottom of the garden, surrounded by trees and flowers, and
a small fountain. It’s just big enough for me, my bookshelves, my two dogs’ baskets
and lots of books and CDs.

What would you say is your interesting
writing quirk?

I’m not
sure—one can consider from a writer or a reader point of view. I like to
research everything in depth, and try to create the scenes so that readers
imagine it as a movie. I have had a few people tell me that when they read my
books it’s like a movie in their heads. If you mean do I have a special ritual before
starting to write, or play music etc., then nothing so interesting. I get into
the office, dig in and write!

As a child, what did you want to be
when you grew up?

I first
wanted to be a nurse, but my grandmother sensibly suggested I do a stint at a
local hospital during a school holiday when I was at high school—I discovered I
hated the sight of blood. Then I wanted to be an actress and even won
scholarships after university to study drama in London and mime in Paris. Upon
my return home I found treading the boards was not exactly what I had imagined,
although the overseas experience was just incredible and added to my ability to
write. Finally, I came back to my creative roots and moved into editing and
publishing; my mother’s invitation to take us to Egypt kick started my career
as a children’s author.

Anything additional you want to share
with the readers?

This is a
note for parents/grandparents or anyone with young relatives. Learning to love reading
is the best gift in the world for any child and will change their lives. From a
love of reading, a child will develop a love of learning new things and embrace
education. With an enquiring and questing mind, that child will achieve
anything they set their sights on. However, loving to read is not natural, as
in learning to speak or walk. A love of reading must be taught, so that reading
becomes associated with pleasure. To do this, read with your child or young
relative as much as possible. Have fun reading with that child. Let them read
anything their heart desires, even if it is only comics. From enjoying one kind
of reading matter, a child will soon explore further. Let them see you reading
often. Have books in the house. Get movies of kids’ books and then buy the
original books. Reading is an advantage, so make sure your child has every
single one you can offer.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

During his virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions, S.S.
will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn
winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use
the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too.

Author bio
and links:

S.
S. Dudley grew up in Wyoming, USA, an avid reader and lover of the outdoors. He
studied at the University of Wyoming and the University of Illinois. He started
his first book (an epic fantasy hand-written in with a blue fountain pen…) when
he was 13, but never finished it. At some point (as his mother recently
reminded him), he decided that he needed to go do something (like get a job)
for a while before he could, or should, write. He did, and spent time in
Colombia, Panamá, Antarctica and the dark recesses of large science buildings
on college campuses. That done, he now writes, lives and runs in Northern
California with his wife and two children. He can be found at
http://www.ssdudley.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Please
tell us a bit about Elf Hills:

Something strange, something magical, is going on in the dusty
hills behind the small town of Villaloma. Yet each time Linda Peters puts on
her running shoes and sets out to find the enchanted kingdom she imagines—full
of dancing elves, unicorns, and more—something stops her. And with school
starting soon, she only has a few more chances to really search the hills.

While Linda’s frustration and doubt grow, her cousin, Nugu, looks
for answers in his books and wonders if maybe, just maybe, Linda’s stories are
for real.

The day finally arrives when Linda can run far, the day she is
sure she will find her magic city. But when she and Nugu feel their goal must
lie just beyond the next hill, they only find more hill.

Is it all a figment of an over-active imagination; a wistful
fantasy?

Or is there truly something magical in those hills that only the
strong of heart—and leg—can discover?

A rustle from a bush to the side of
the trail attracted his attention. He watched, expecting a rabbit or ground
squirrel to pop out and hoping for a snake or something he could actually
catch. Distracted from his search, he quietly picked his way down from the
rocks, watching the bush. It rustled again as his foot touched down.

A wave of apprehension washed over
him. Something about the moment was familiar, as if he had been in this
situation before. The images were vague, so he dismissed them. His imagination
got away from him sometimes.

He tiptoed toward the bush, his eyes
scanning and probing, looking for a sign of the critter hidden underneath.

He reached out to grab a branch and
pull it back—again the images washed over him, memories… There! It was a… a
raccoon? Big round eyes, a wide face with a black, furry mask, short stubby
ears, and lots of fur. It was holding something shiny in its hands—paws? The
creature quickly concealed what it held and growled, showing a mouthful of
teeth.

"Augh!" Nugu fell back,
scrambling like a crab.

A safe ten feet away, Nugu watched
the bush. It rattled again. The raccoon—it could only be a raccoon, he
thought—waddled out into the open. It was walking on two feet. Do raccoons walk
on two feet? Nugu tried to remember all of the animal documentaries he had
seen. Maybe? And do raccoons get so big? This guy looked like he could take on
Jeremiah, Nugu's four-year-old (almost five) brother. It reminded Nugu of
something else entirely, some creature from a book… or a movie.

Unconsciously, feeling more nervous,
Nugu took a couple steps backward.

The big, standing raccoon looked at
him, and threw its arms in the air. "BaaaagahLOO!" it grunted. Nugu
jumped straight up, turned, and ran.

Any weird things you
do when you’re alone?

Nap.
As a writer, it is darn hard to write when you are sleepy and can’t motivate
yourself to move your fingers. So I lay down and take a nap. But I am
particular: I lay down on the floor, legs crossed, arms crossed across my
chest, and usually for 21 to 26 minutes. Depending on how tired I feel. I
discovered this in college once. Can still remember that day. Getting into
position, sleeping profoundly for 21 minutes, and waking completely refreshed
and ready for more studying. It works like a charm most times.

What do you think you’re
really good at?

I’m
a good dad. A pretty good husband (though I’ve been known to be a bit spacey).
I believe strongly in my abilities as a writer and editor. I have extensive
experience in these, even though I am only just now starting to write fiction.
I’m a good mentor, too. So I’ve been told, anyway. Once upon a time I was very
good in martial arts and swimming.

What do you think you’re really bad at?

Ugh.
That’s a long list. Remembering things. Staying focused. Being selfish (yes, a
strange one, but it gets to a point where I get in the way of my own dreams.
One has to be a bit selfish about their time and energy to move forward).
Steven Pressfield would call it "resistance." Saving money. Braiding
hair. Cracking eggs (Yes, I know. My six-year-old laughs at me).

Is
your life anything like it was two years ago?

Um…
for the most part. I live in the same town, my day job is the same day job. I
am writing. The biggest change has been the arrival of my son into the world.
He threw a huge wrench into our otherwise organized lives. A good wrench. But
wow, going from one to two kids—for us, anyway—was tough. Somehow I managed to
get the books written while also doing the day job and changing several
thousand diapers. Oh yeah, and not sleeping.

I
have published books now, too. That’s a big difference. It makes the writing
“real.”

Anything else you’d
like readers to know?

· The e-book price is $0.99, paperback
$8.99.

· Kindle version and paperback are available
from Amazon.

· ePub, PDF, Kindle and other versions are
available from Smashwords here: Smashwords

· Folks who sign up for my newsletter through
my website can have the e-book free.

· Folks who purchase through my Website
(Kindle, ePub, PDF; via payhip.com) and share their purchase via
social media can have it 50% off.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Today’s fun
interview is with thriller author Ian Coates as he shares about his newest
novel, Eavesdrop.

Bio:

Author Ian
Coates graduated with honors in engineering. He worked in the high tech
electronics industry for thirty years, where he specialized in the design of
radio communication equipment. His intimate knowledge of that environment
always triggered his imagination to think about the mysterious world of
international spies.

A lifelong love of books led him into writing, but it was being named one of
the winners in the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook centenary novel writing
competition that spurred him on to complete his spy thriller, Eavesdrop.

The novel
was written largely on planes and in airport lounges as well as in snatched
moments before starting work each morning. Eavesdrop
was released by Bad Day Books, the suspense and thriller imprint of Assent Publishing.

Ian is proud to support the British Science Association and donates a
proportion of his book proceeds to that charity. He lives and writes in Buckinghamshire,
England, with his wife and two daughters.

Welcome, Ian. Please tell us about
your current release.

James Winter
is a Customs Investigation Officer, but when the smuggling ring he’s closing-in
on suddenly develops an uncanny knack of avoiding arrest, he is suspended on
suspicion of helping them. As he tries to clear his name, he uncovers a group
of assassins, industrial espionage, and a very determined Mossad agent.

The story
starts with three apparently separate story threads. The first follows the assassins – they are
operating in London, and when their hits suddenly start to go wrong, they begin
to think they have a traitor in their midst.

The second
story thread follows the smugglers. They are setting-up a new run to smuggle
diamonds from Antwerp to London, and need to bring in a new courier to
help. However, they soon begin to think
that the man they’ve chosen is not all that he seems.

The third
thread follows Winter as he tries to discover who was behind his dismissal. As
the story progresses, these three threads start to come together until, by the
time we reach the climax in the snowy wastes of Finland, they’ve become just
one storyline and we suddenly realize there’s a lot more at stake than just
Winter’s career.

It’s a fast
paced thriller, and it’s the book’s title that gives us a clue as to what links
the story threads.

What inspired you to write this book?

I graduated
in electronics, and my first job was working for a company that designed radio
equipment – transmitters, receivers, walkie-talkies and the like – and one of
the ranges we made had a facility for encrypted audio. That was at the time of the Northern Ireland
troubles, and we sold some of those to the Northern Ireland police force – the
idea was that they didn’t want the IRA listening in to what they were
saying. And that got me thinking - what
if I wanted to be able to intercept their conversations? How might I go about it? That was what gave me the main idea for Eavesdrop.

But I don’t
think a single idea is large enough or strong enough to support something as
big as a novel. For that, I think you
need two or even three solid ideas that work together to create an overall plot.
The second idea for Eavesdrop came
when I thinking about the attempts to achieve peace in the Middle East, and how
it is that we never seem to be able to manage it, especially around Israel.

It was only
when those two ideas, together with some thoughts I’d had about smuggling, all
coalesced that I realized I had a plot powerful enough to support a full length
thriller – and Eavesdrop was born.

Bashar
Al-Jabib wriggled forward into position in the long grass. Everywhere smelled
fresh and damp. Perched on the crag among the trees that carpeted the higher
slope, he commanded an uninterrupted view of the lake in the valley bottom.
Water glinted silver when the first rays of sun reached its mirrored surface.
Thin ribbons of mist hung here and there above it like wraiths.

Al-Jabib’s
pulse quickened with excitement. After many months of planning, it was finally
time to set things in motion. He smiled to himself. They would be proud of him
back home.

On the far
bank, an angler tied a new fly to his line. After one final inspection, he cast
toward the row of willows that edged the water, then slowly drew it back by
hand so that the lure glided smoothly across the surface.

Al-Jabib
reached for his rifle, felt its cold metal against his fingertips. Without
taking his eyes off the fisherman, he seated the bipod in the soil to support
the muzzle, and pushed the stock hard against his shoulder. Shuffling awkwardly
until he was aligned with the weapon, he squinted into its telescopic sight. He
noticed his nerves didn’t flutter. Years ago, he would have wet himself doing
this.

Not now.

He adjusted
the focus and flicked off the safety catch.

The fisherman
raised his rod and flicked it forward again, letting the line run through his
fingers. The man’s face looked content. Al-Jabib could see it clearly as he
squeezed the trigger.

The bullet
entered through the angler’s right eye. Blood spattered across the fishing bag
that stood on the bank as he toppled backwards and the rod splashed into the
water. In the woods, the gunshot sent a pair of pigeons flapping away through
the undergrowth.

Staying on
his stomach, Al-Jabib shuffled backwards off the small square of tarpaulin he’d
been lying on. His whole body tingled with exhilaration. It had been a
beautifully placed shot. Easy.

He retrieved
the spent case, and did his best to rough-up the flattened grass before he
wriggled further back into the trees. Only when he was well into their cover
did he stand and brush himself down.

Al-Jabib slid
his hand inside his jacket and felt for the locket that hung around his neck.
His fingers caressed the polished metal, conjuring the memories, the screams,
the falling masonry, and choking dust. He shouldn’t be wearing it, but it had
seemed so appropriate; a fresh chapter of history was going to be written and
it fell to him to prepare the ground. It was his destiny.

As he hiked
the mile back to the hire car, he tapped a number into his mobile and spoke in
Arabic.

Two weeks later

The meeting
in Tel-Aviv drew to a close. Fluorescent strips lit the windowless room three
floors below ground. The ashtrays on the table around which the eight men sat
were full, and thick cigarette smoke hung in the air, the air conditioning too
slow to remove it.

Ehud Mandell,
a large man with heavy jowls and thick spectacles, looked around at the others
from his place at the head of the table. “Any other items?” He wanted to go
home. Already, the meeting had gone over time. Mandell chaired these
cross-departmental security meetings, held every month under the grandiose
directive of ensuring the continued security of the homeland of the Israeli
State. He scratched his mop of white hair as he waited. Most of the others were
already gathering up their papers.

The head of
International Analysis coughed. “I have one thing.” Leon Cardash was the
antithesis of Mandell: short, with sallow features that looked malnourished.
His head jerked in short rapid movements when he looked around the table like a
bird nervously searching for grubs.

Mandell
sighed. The traffic was going to be hell. “Go on,” he said. Cardash was not
known for getting to the point quickly.

“I…well…rather
the head of the European team, asked me to raise this.” Cardash coughed again.
“He’s very reliable, and if he says…well…if he thinks this committee needs to
know about it, certainly we should not dismiss it.”

“Just get on
with it,” Mandell barked.

He smiled
obsequiously. “Well, a couple of weeks ago in England, one of their top
government officials was assassinated during a weekend fishing break. It seems
it was…er…a very professional job.”

The Chief of
the Israeli Air Force spoke up. “So what? Let the Brits sort out their own
mess. It’s nothing to do with us.”

Cardash
tugged at his earlobe and looked down at the sheet of paper in front of him.

“Well, you
see, there we’re not quite so sure. As you say, it is probably nothing, but the
thing is, the British police—and we’ve seen all their reports—the thing is,
they can find no motive at all.”

“I still
don’t see why this is relevant.”

“It may not
be, of course, but Charles Asquith—that’s the dead man—well, he was always a
strong advocate of Israel and had an influential place in the British
government that was often to our advantage. He has, on occasions persuaded it
to make decisions that favor our position. My European head was concerned that
Asquith may have been…” He hesitated as he chose for the most appropriate
phrase. “…well, perhaps he was permanently removed because of it.”

Mandell took
off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It had been a long day. It
was fifty-fifty whether anything raised by Analysis was useful, but they were
right just frequently enough that one couldn’t take the chance of dismissing
them. He turned to the head of Mossad. “Perhaps you could check it out,
Avraham? Do you have anyone in England who could take a look?”

The head of
Mossad nodded slowly. “I’ve a man in London, Sol Halutz. He’s a pain in the
arse, but he’s good at bringing a fresh perspective to things. I’ll get him to
dig around.”

What exciting story are you working on
next?

I’ve started
work on a new thriller with the working title of The Rival. It deals with industrial espionage, a long-hidden family
secret, an unusual double blackmail, and what happens when two people being
blackmailed don’t want to be blackmailed any more.

When did you first consider yourself a
writer?

I’ve wanted
to write novels since I was about 7 or 8, but wouldn’t have called myself a
writer at that point. I remember once
copying out the first few chapters of one of Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven
mysteries into a fresh notebook, changing the name of the children and the dog,
and then putting my name on the front cover. I suppose I could call myself a
writer by the time I reached the age of fourteen, because that was when I won a
competition run by the local authority with a private-eye novella.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's
your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find
time to write?

I work as a
technical manager in the electronics industry, so I fit my writing in between
holding down a busy full-time job and helping to bring up a family. That means it gets written over breakfast, during
additional snatched moments here and there, and during holidays.

Eavesdrop was largely written during a spell
when I did a lot of business travel, which meant much of it was written on
planes and in airport lounges.

What would you say is your interesting
writing quirk?

Perhaps the
fact that I write my first drafts longhand in spiral notebooks with a lovely
propelling pencil that my wife bought me. There’s something special about the visceral connection between hand,
pencil and paper that seems to help my creative process.

As a child, what did you want to be
when you grew up?

One of my
earliest memories is of wanting to be a spy.
I think that came from reading and re-reading a big fat storybook called
something like “Spy Stories for Boys.” I
absolutely loved that book, and that’s what made me think I wanted to become a
spy when I grew up. As I got older,
though, I realized it was probably rather a dangerous profession, so started to
think more about technology. I confess to being a coward

As a child,
I never appreciated there was such a job as a writer. I don’t know where I thought books came from,
but I didn’t realize it was something you could do for a living. If I had known writing could be a profession,
I guess that’s what I would have said I wanted to do.

Anything additional you want to share
with the readers?

Just that I
hope people enjoy reading Eavesdrop. Certainly I’d love to hear from them, and I
can be contacted via social media or my website. If readers like the book, please add a review
on Amazon to encourage others to also give the story a try.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Welcome to today’s special feature: the contemporary romance
novel, Under Texas Blue Skies by Debra Holt.

As Debra
does a virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions, she will be awarding one
lucky winner with a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card. To be entered for
a chance to win, use the form below. To
increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and
enter there, too.

Blurb
about Under Texas Blue Skies:

J.D. Sterling, the
sexy star of country music, had come back home to McKenna Springs, Texas. Years
before, he had left to chase his dream and had succeeded. His life was almost
perfect. Almost. He was still missing the part of his heart he had left
behind…Mandy Lawson.

Amanda Lawson had changed from the young, innocent Mandy…the teenager madly in
love with the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Heartbreak and tragedy
would do that to a person. She was determined to keep her well-ordered,
work-driven life on the successful path she had fought to achieve on her own.
No singing cowboy with a devil’s smile in his green eyes and a sexy body in
tight jeans was going to be allowed close enough to break her heart again.

Excerpt from Under Texas Blue Skies:

“I
have other business in town also,” Amanda spoke up. “I don’t know why I was
called out here but…”

“Because
I want you.” Those jade green eyes pinned her to her spot. J.D.’s choice of
words knocked the air out of Amanda’s lungs for a moment. Did he think that he
could turn that look on her, along with that famous half-grin that sent deep
grooves down his cheeks and made fingers itch to touch them and females swoon
at his feet? He was still the lying, no good cowboy who had played her for a
fool and then left her behind when the bright lights beckoned. He wanted her?
Well, he'd had her once, but never again.

Cold
blue eyes pinned him. “People don’t always get what they want, J.D. But
sometimes they do get what they deserve.”

When Mandy stood looking at him with
those blue eyes, where once there had been the warmth of love glowing in them
for him, there was now a cool curtain, devoid of anything but a banked anger
mixed with a dash of indifference. For some reason, he felt he had been judged
and found lacking in her estimation. He definitely had to regroup. There was
another battle ahead, and he had fought many in his lifetime and won each of
them. This would be the most important one. Losing was not an option.

Author bio
and links:

Born and raised
in the Lone Star state of Texas, Debra grew up among horses, cowboys, wide open
spaces, and real Texas Rangers. Pride in her state and ancestry knows no bounds
and it is these heroes and heroines she loves to write about the most. She also
draws upon a variety of life experiences including working with abused
children, caring for baby animals at a major zoo, and owning a wedding planning
business (ah, romance!).

Debra’s real
pride and joys, however, are her son, an aspiring film actor, and a daughter
with aspirations to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (more story
ideas!) When she isn’t busy writing about tall Texans and feisty heroines, she
can be found cheering on her Texas Tech Red Raiders, or heading off on another
cruise adventure. She read her first romance...Janet Dailey's Fiesta San
Antonio, over thirty years ago and became hooked on the genre. Writing
contemporary western romances, is both her passion and dream come true, and she
hopes her books will bring smiles...and sighs... to all who believe in
happily-ever-after’s.

The Seymour
Agency represents Debra and she is soon to have two contemporary romances
published by Spencer Hill/Tulip Romance and Astraea Press. Debra invites you to
visit her website at www.debraholtbooks.com. She loves to hear from other aspiring authors or readers
via email at debraholtbooks@gmail.com.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

I have a special book excerpt and promotion for the paranormal
suspense novel Yesterday People by Terri Herman-Ponce.

During her virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions, Terri will be awarding $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free
to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too.

Blurb
about Yesterday People:

David Bellotti’s only focus is to find his abducted twelve-year
old daughter. When he sees her on a news segment with her captor, a renowned
archaeologist who’s made a major discovery, David sets out to bring her back
home. But the search leads him to a secret message that could alter man’s
history forever.

A message David and his daughter inscribed twelve-thousand years
ago.

A message that will prove dangerous in the wrong hands.

Protecting this powerful information seems simple until David
realizes some people will use his daughter against him to get it, at whatever
the cost. Now David must make a choice. Protect mankind from a secret past that
must remain hidden, or save his little girl.

Excerpt from Yesterday People:

When Lottie entered the office Dr.
Berzet flashed a smile, his teeth white and bright against the goatee. “Dr.
Lottie Morgan.” He stood and gave her his hand. “You have no idea how wonderful
it is to meet you.”

She shook his hand, noting how warm
his skin felt, and took off her coat, admiring the office space around her. It
was filled with an eclectic collection of antique furniture, paintings
depicting various periods in history, and framed magazine covers of notable
excavations and historical finds since the turn of the century.

“I appreciate your coming so early
to meet with me,” he said.

Lottie laughed, brushing static off
her sweater and slacks. Thanks to winter and heavy wool coats, she had to do it
often. “It’s almost ten in the morning.”

“My apologies. I forgot you are not
a student.” Dr. Berzet laughed with her. “I am an early riser and am usually in
the office by seven-thirty. But the college students? Their idea of early is
anything after lunch.”

“I remember those days,” Lottie
said. And there were times she still missed them.

“But perhaps not all of them?” he
said with a wide grin.

Lottie grinned back.

“I believe we have now appropriately
warmed up the conversation,” Dr. Berzet said as he settled into his chair, and
the way certain consonants and vowels rolled off his tongue made Lottie think
he was French. “I do have to admit that I am beyond curious about you. I want
to say that I asked to meet because I am a professor specializing in ancient
civilizations and mystical practices, but that would be a bit of a lie.” He
leaned forward, dropped his voice to a whisper, and added, “This mostly has to
do with personal fascination because I have never met anyone who has had actual
proof of a past life.”

“Lives,” Lottie corrected.

Dr. Berzet’s smile grew, and
something sparkled in his gray-blue eyes that hinted of mischief and mystery
and maybe a little mania.

“I want to study you because I am
sure what is in here,” he said, pulling out the summer issue of Current
Psychology, “is only the tip of something bigger. Something powerful.
Something, I am thinking, you are not sure you want to tell.”

Author
bio and links:

Terri
looks for any opportunity to make stuff up. She thinks anything that can’t so
easily be explained is worth an extra look and often makes a great story. She
loves red wine, scotch, sunrises, Ancient Egypt, the beach—and a host of other
stuff that would take too much real estate to talk about. The youngest of five
children, Terri lives with her husband and son on Long Island. And, in her next
life, if she hasn’t moved on to somewhere else, she wants to be an astronomer.
Terri’s fascinated with the night skies almost as much as she’s fascinated with
ancient Egypt.

Terri
is a member of member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and
you can read about her at http://terriponce.com/.

If
you love social media, you can also find Terri on Facebook and on Twitter.

I'm listed!

Blog Tour Partner - Goddess Fish

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About Me

I'm a NH native and love New England. I love writing about the region, exploring it on foot, on my bicycle, and in my car. There are so many small communities and fun and interesting people in this area, that I could be here a lifetime and not do all it is I want to do. :)

I'm a moderator at The Writer's Chatroom that hosts live chats with guest authors on Sunday nights 7-9PM EST. Join the e-mail list to get notifications of upcoming guests, then stop in and join the conversation!